Writing and Editing• Wrote and designed biweekly informational newsletter for the association’s membership, with email open rates 40% greater than those of counterpart new-car dealer associations.• Introduced e-newsletter format for distribution, and built and maintained association’s email database to disseminate newsletter and other important messages.• Wrote and produced association’s annual membership directory and slashed its production costs 78%.Membership Management• Educated Chicago market’s 400+ new-car dealerships — the association’s membership — on matters vital to their business operations.• Developed, promoted and emceed informational seminars for members on a range of business topics.• Led dealerships in successful campaign to turn back a gubernatorial attempt to levy an alternative to the state’s corporate income tax that would have disproportionately harmed dealers.• Coordinated association’s annual board of directors election balloting.Event Management• For the Chicago Auto Show, spearheaded First Look for Charity, a black-tie gala that attracts 10,000 attendees annually and benefits 18 area nonprofits. From 1997, the gala raised more than $55 million, with new record sums raised in all but four years.• Wrote and produced all event solicitation materials.• Led representatives of all benefiting charities in monthly meetings to plan the event. Also interacted with them individually throughout each month to answer questions and offer guidance. Managed event volunteers helping gala attendees to navigate the convention center.• Advised auto show managers in Seattle and Milwaukee on launching similar events at their shows. Both events initially proved to be successful.

• Wrote and designed biweekly informational newsletter for the association's membership.• For the Chicago Auto Show, spearheaded First Look for Charity.

• Responsible for all external communications and spokesman for world's largest annual trade show of the telecommunications industry, Supercomm. • Interacted with industry media to promote the show and with the show's more than 630 exhibiting companies about promotional opportunities.• Attendance at Supercomm '96 grew 50% to record 38,169, and editorials in industry publications included descriptions of the 1996 show as "the best Supercomm ever."

• Served as a spokesman for world's leading producer of consumer boat shows. • Interacted with local media in 18 major U.S. markets to attract coverage of annual consumer boat shows, including the Chicago Boat Show. • Managed media centers at show convention centers for marine manufacturers and dealers to reach national and local media. • Wrote and designed informational newsletters for the association's membership -- various boat manufacturers and related industries -- and separately for boat show exhibitors.

• Agency spokesman to the public and media.• Speechwriter for the park district’s board President and for the Executive Director.• Wrote and designed quarterly newsletters and all promotional pieces, including activities brochures, news releases and other communications.• Guided successful voter referendum to finance multimillion-dollar agency project.

• Reporting beats for daily newspaper in suburban Chicago included county board policies and civil and criminal court cases.• Regular column, “County Insights,” analyzed issues and trends in county politics and the judiciary.• Wrote feature stories about area personalities and events.• Responsible for newspaper design and layout.